| Purpose
The educational interests of students require the collection,
retention, and use of data and information about individuals and groups
of students while ensuring the individual’s right to privacy.
It is no less the interest of society to protect the right of each
of its members against an unwarranted invasion of privacy. The primary
purpose of pupil record keeping shall be the educational welfare and
advancement of the pupil.
A student record is defined as any information about a student that
is identifiable to that student. It may be recorded in a variety of
forms, including but not limited to handwriting, print, tape, film,
microfilm, microfiche, computer data, photos, or videos.
Authority
The Director of Special Education has primary responsibility
for the compilation, retention, disposition, and security of student
records. The Board recognizes the district’s legal duty to maintain
the confidentiality of student records.
The Board shall adopt a comprehensive plan for all aspects of student
records that conforms to the mandates of the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA) and its regulations; the Pennsylvania Guidelines
for the Collection, Maintenance, and Dissemination of Pupil Records;
and the Standards for Special Education. The plan shall include provisions
for:
- the specific pupil records which may be collected
- proper safekeeping, custodianship, and administration of pupil
records
- access by pupils and parents or guardians to records
- access by third persons or agencies to records
- periodic review of the contents of pupil records
- procedures for parental or pupil challenge to contents of a pupil’s
records
- schedule for the retention and destruction of pupil records.
Parents/guardians and eligible students 18 years and older shall
be notified annually and upon initial enrollment of their rights concerning
student records. The notice shall be modified to accommodate the needs
of the disabled or those whose dominant language is other than English.
Delegation of Responsibility
The Superintendent or his or her designee shall be responsible
for developing and implementing a comprehensive plan approved by the
Board that meets the requirements of all State and federal statutes
and regulations.
The Superintendent or his or her designee shall maintain a list of
pupil records, which may be retained and shall communicate the list
to the Board once a year. The Superintendent or designee shall establish
procedures for the disclosure of student records, to include procedures,
which shall apply equally to military recruiters, colleges and universities,
and prospective employers.
Safeguards will be established by the administration to protect the
student and his or her family from an invasion of privacy when collecting,
retaining, and disseminating information, and providing access to
authorized persons.
In accordance with law, each district teacher shall prepare and maintain
a record of the work and progress of each student, including the final
grade and a recommendation for promotion and retention, and present
such a record to the Superintendent.
Guidelines
The district’s plan for compilation, retention, disclosure
and security of student records shall provide for the following:
- annually informing the Board of the list of pupil records which
may be retained
- annually informing parents/guardians and eligible students of
their rights and procedures to implement such rights
- permitting appropriate access by authorized persons and officials
and describing procedures for access and listing copying fees
- enumerating and defining the types, locations, and persons responsible
for student records maintained by the district
- establishing guidelines for disclosure of information and data
in student records
- maintaining a record of access and release of information for
each student’s records
- assuring appropriate retention and security of student records
- transferring education records and appropriate disciplinary records
to other school district.
The annual notice of rights shall inform parents/guardians
and eligible students of the following:
- the right to inspect and review the student’s education
record within thirty days of the district’s receipt of the
written request for access
- the right to request amendment of the student’s education
records that the parent/guardian or eligible student believes are
inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise violates the privacy or other
rights of the student
- the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable
information contained in the student’s education records,
except to the extent that FERPA and State laws authorize disclosure
without consent
- the criteria for determining who constitutes a school official
and what constitutes a legitimate educational interest for purposes
of disclosure without prior consent
- the right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of
the categories of directory information
- the right to request that information not be provided to military
recruiting officers
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